Houses and more houses

Dear Editor,

Sometimes, I just have to read and then do a re- read, and even stop in the process.

This happened as I was reading and assimilating the details from the article “At keys handing over/ Plans announced for extensive West Bank Demerara housing.” I was most pleasantly surprised and extremely happy for the residents. Most people view owning a home as the ‘ultimate’, and this ‘ultimate’ was achieved just recently on the East Coast Demerara.

According to the news items, 38 persons “… now have places to call homes, as they are the latest beneficiaries of the Core House Pilot, under the Government of Guyana/Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) Low Income Settlement Two Programme (LIS2).” The location is Block XXX, Non Pareil, and the homes are valued at a total of Gy$11.2M each. At the handing over ceremony, Local Government Minister Norman Whittaker reminded the recipients that “…housing has always been an important component in the manifesto of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for the past 19 years, as (provision of housing) is seen as integral to the social advancement of the country as a whole.” So, PPP/C is in keeping with original plans and intentions for Guyana. This occasioned a timely response from one of the residents, who I am sure spoke on behalf of all the new home owners. Caesar declared thus: “… I (we really) know (that) we will cherish, care and value this, and I feel very privileged as I always had the desire to own my own home.” So this housing trend is really on the move and simply gathering momentum. The next phase of this particular project is right in the offing, too.

In the words of Whittaker, the LIS2 operation has been extended to hinterland areas in an effort to provide the same benefits to our Amerindian brothers and sisters, as the government has been working “assiduously” with international and local agencies to provide Guyanese with (house) lots, and eventually homes, in a quest to ‘house’ all Guyanese. In fact, in addition to the Non Pareil Scheme, other houses are currently being constructed at Westminster Phase One, West Bank Demerara, as well as at Tabatinga in Lethem, Rupununi, accounting for another 32 soon to be completed. So here the logistics of the housing drive is quite good. The cross-section of people and areas targeted is quite commendable.

I close by commending the government for this venture, one of many in Guyana designed at making the country very comfortable to live in; and for sure instilling in the minds of everyone that “North America is just a dream, and many times a mere myth”. If one follows the pattern in Guyana, one can expect Non Pareil (meaning “no comparison”), to be a busy little village soon, with the regular and necessary amenities, such as grocery stores, internet cafes and taxi services, etc to be all up and running.

Yours,

Ahmad Ali